Friction transmission roller lubrication



Oct. 11, 1938. w..'r. M UEDEN 2,132,751

FRICTION TRANSMISSION ROLLER LUBRICATION Filed Apri). 15 1935. 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 W. T. MURDEN v FRICTION TRANSMISSION ROLLER LUBRICATION Filed April 15, 1935 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Oct. 11, 1938 2,132,751 V g v v TRANSMISSION-ROLLER LUBRIcArIoN FRICTION William T. Murden, 'l 3ristol, Conn, assignor .to Gencral Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a,

corporation of Delaware Application Am -.15, 1935, Seria l No. 18,396

This inventionrelates to a change speed transmission and more particularly to the provision for lubrication in a ratio changing device employing a system of toroidal races and cooperating Other objects and advantages will be undere stood from the following description.

The invention has been incorporated-in an assembly involving a constant speed motor in driving relation with a toroidal race and roller change speed transmissiontcln the drawingsillustrating the invention, Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section through the ratio changing portion of the combined unit. Fig. 2 is a transversesection substantially on line 2--2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view in plan, partly in section; as seen from line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of a'detail. Fig. 5 is a transverse section through a modifled form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a view seen from line G -G of Referring by reference characters to the-draw ings, numeral II is used todesignate a' motor No more of the motor is shownbecause shaft. it isnot a part of this invention. The motor is to be associated with a change speed transmission of which the housing is marked by numeral I3. A supporting leg is indicated by numeral I5.

An end closure I1 is secured by fastening means minal nut 33 there is keyed to'the sleeve 23 the hub 35 of a cooling fan 31. This'fan is intended to draw air through passages I0 through the housing I3 tocool the mechanism therewithin. Held to the front wall 29 by fastening means 39 is a closure ring 40 between-which andv ring 3| is an oil retaining device 4|. Alsokeyed to the sleeve 23 and. on the inner sideiof bearing 21 is a driving gear 43, this gear being designed to operate an oil pump to be referred to later.vv

Inwardly of gear 43 is a ring 45 surrounding the sleeve 23 but not rotatable therewith. The ring.

45 isinternally recessed as at 41,. J

Upon the removal from the housing l3gof=a bottom closure 30 access is had to an oil pump designated as a whole by numeral 49. Thispump is removably fixed to a. part of the housing by A sleeve 23 .is keyed at fastening means SI. When so fixed in position aprojecting stud153engages an opening in the ring 45 to hold the latter from rotations. The

upper-part of the pump. 49.rotatably supports" an id1er in. driving engagementwith the above mentioned gear 43 and also with apump driv ing gear 51. N0 novelty is claimed for the details of the pumpper se. and it isnot further illus-l tratedJ'The pump 'is shown as having in con nection therewith: a'filtering screen 59 and a delivery conduit'fil This conduit extends to and is connected with the ring 45 as clearly shown' in Fig. 1. The ring has a passageleading from the end ofwthe'pipe 6| radially into the recess 4-1. Radial'p'assages 63v and B5 in the sleeve 23- and shaftZI, respectively, communicate at all times with the recess '4'! and serve to carry oil into the axial passage 61 withinthe shaft 2|; A centering extension 69 fitted to the end of shaft 2| :also engages Within the reduced end H of driven shaft 13. z

Surrounding outputshaft '13 but not connected thereto .is an. input race 15." This race has a toroidal groove 11 on its driving face.. on its oppositeface there is'an extension provided with a-spherical surface 19 to engage a similar surface on a bearing race 8|. The bearing includes this race, a. row of -bal1s83, and a race supported bythe housing. For rotating the toroidal 80;is, locatedbetween the driven shaft and an axial extension of flange 81, which extension carries the above-mentioned lugs 89.

The driven race 9| is mounted for rotation with the driven shaft I3 andfor axial sliding relative thereto. This race also is provided with a toroidalgroove. A plurality of rollers, one of which is marked 93 in Fig.1, serves to transmit the rotation of race '15 to race 9|. Race 9| is backed by a row of balls 95 in a cage. 91, the balls engaging the race-9 I. and also a'reaction torque-loading device. Thistorque-loadingdevice comprises a ring 99 which is rotatable, a non-rotatable ring IlII: and a plurality of balls I01 therebetween. The balls III! are received within cam grooves I93 and I95 formed .;in the rings 99 and II, these groovesbeingindicated by the variable depths illustrated on-Fig. 1. The. ring 99 is secured by fasteningmeans I09 to an outer concentric ring.

I I I. Under increase of torque the torque-loading device described above causes the ring 99 to movetoward the left (Fig.. 1) and crowd the rollers and races more forcibly together to, prevent slips.

p 6- I The non-rotatable element of the torqueloading device, the ring -I0.|, is held from rotation'by a, stud- I I3 projecting "from the housing;

" tilting roller carriers. I45.

leak-proof packing at I25. In a plurality of pockets in this cap are springs I21. These springs engage and exert pressure on a ring I29 operable upon the outer bearing race I I9 to exert a predetermined initial yielding pressure on the torque-loading device and therefore on the races and rollers.

A spider I3I is provided for the mounting of the rollers between the races. This spider has a hub portion I33 having an oil-tight internal space I35 surrounding the shaft. 13. The spider is formed with. radial arms I31, preferably three in number, from the ends of whicharms project axially resilient torque-transmitting members I39. These members are secured as at I4I to the spider. arms and engage at their other ends notches I43 in the ring III. It will be understood that as the torque varies due to changes in load the roller carrying spider tends. to rotate. This rotation is resiliently transmitted to the reaction torque-loading device which operates through the balls and cam grooves described above to exert varying pressure between the rollers and races. This feature of the transmission need not be further described as it is not a part of the invention sought to be protected in this application.

The ends of the arms I31 extend axially as shown by numeral I39 and are there shaped as shown at I4I in Fig. 2 to form supports for the roller carriers I 45. Cylindrical journals I41 are carried by the angular ends of part I4I' as shown in Fig. 2. Spacing members I43 surround these journals as also do the ends of the rocking or Between each journaled end of the carrier and the spacer I43 is the apertured head I46 of a shroud. 'The shroud is bent to engage the side walls of the carrier where it is secured by fastening means I50 extended through an opening. I48 in the shoud and into the face of the roller carrier I45. Beyond its point of attachment the shroud is extended in a direction parallel to the circumferential surface of the roller and extends to a point near the region of contact between the roller and the race. portion I49 is arcuate in cross. section.

The shaft 13 is radially apertured at I5I whereby an inner axial passage I53 of shaft 13 may communicate with the space I35. The axial passage I53 is in communication with and constitutes an extension of the passage 61 in shaft 2|.

The space I35 communicates with radial passages I55 in the spider arms I31. The ends of these radial passages are closed by the fastening means I4I described above. An axial passage I6I extends from passage I55 into the angular ends I4 I mentioned above and shown in Fig. 2. From the end of passage I6I in the head I4I' there are passages I63 communicating with circumferential grooves I60 in the journal member I41. From these grooves radial passages I62' and axial passages I65 afford communication for the flow of lubricant into the interior of the carrier I45 occupied by the roller.- The shroud described above serves by means of its arms I49 to direct the lubricant along the circumferential surface of the roller toward the two diametrically opposite points of contact between theroller and races.

. through pipe 6| into the recess 41.

'recess'41 it passes through passages 63 and 65 It will also be observed that the shroud It will be seen that since the shroud is carried by the carrier it serves to direct the flow of oil to the contacting points regardlessof the angle of tilt assumed by the carrier and its roller.

By the above described lubricating arrangement lubricant delivered by the pump passes From the into the continuous axial passage 61, I53. From I53 itpasses by the radial passages I5I into the space I35; From this space I35 the lubricant travels through the spider passages I55, I6I and I63 to the passages I65 in the journal I41 from which it is delivered to the region occupied by the rollers where it is guided by the arcuate surfaces. I49 of the shroudtoward the points of contact between the rollers and races. It will thus be seen that the distribution of the lubricant for effective lubrication and'cooling is most advantageously provided for.

Although the mechanism for tilting the rollers is not a part of the invention sought to be protected by the patent to issue from this application, the operating mechanism may be very brief- 1y, referred to inasmuch as it is illustrated to some extent on the drawings. At the top of the transmission housing is what may be called a control box I61. This control box may contain any suitable. mechanism operable to reciprocate a movable member I69. Rotatable on the journals I41 of that one of the carriers I45 Which is positioned adjacent the topof the transmission is a rocking member I1I. Member I1I has an arm I13 with a knob I 15 engaged by movable member I69. This rocking member I1I is provided with suitable means I11 to engage and incline the roller about its points of contact with the races. As the roller thereafter proceeds to rotate it assumes a newposition of tilt and in doing so it similarly tilts its carrierby means of parts I19 supported by the carrier and engaged by the roller when displaced as explained above. The rotation of this carrier serves by means of suitable connections with the other carriers to similarly tilt these other carriers. The connections referredto include arms I8I constituting parts of the carriers and pins I 83 carried by these arms, which pins engage notches I85 in a sleeve I81 slidable along the hub of the spider. The tilting of the secondary carriers is accompanied by an inclination of, their rollers, which rollers then automatically restore themselves to new positions, of tiltcorresponding to the tilt of the firstmentioned or master roller.

In Fig. 6 is shown a slight modification wherein the function of the shroud is performed by a modified construction of'roller carrier. .In this form of the invention the, spider is marked I3I The arms I31 have at their ends parts I4I corresponding to parts MI in theform of the invention already described. Each roller, such as 93, is journaled as before in a carrier. In this case the carrier is in itself a housing made by two mating sections MI and 203 secured together by suitable fastening means 205. The housing parts are cut away to form openings at 201 where the roller projects'through'the opening and engages the races 15' and 9|. The housing itself thus serves to direct the oil received from the same source as before and passing through corresponding radial passages I 55' in the arms and communicating with the chamber within the carrier housing by the same disposition of oil passages as has been described,- In this form of the invention the process of inclining and tilting are the same. The carrier arm l8! corresponds to the arm l8l of Fig. 2. A slight change has been made in the means to incline the master roller, a change made necessary by the altered construction of the carrier. Within the master roller. carrier is a roller inclining member 209. This member is rotatably mounted. on stud I41 but is non-rotatably mounted on a rotatable stud I41". This stud or p-in has an extended end to which is secured the arm I13 carrying a spherical head H, the latter engaged by the same expedient.thereciprocating scribed above.

I claim: 1 a

1. A transmission of the character described comprising races and a system of rollers arranged to transmit by adhesive contact and means for lubricating saidsystem, comprising means for directing the lubricant circumferentially along the race engaging surfaces of said rollers to the points of adhesive contact.

2. A transmission of the character described comprising races and a system of rollers arranged to transmit by adhesive contact and means for lubricating said system, comprising means for directing the lubricant circumferentially'along in driving engagement the race engaging surfaces of said rollers to the points of adhesive contact from opposite directions.

3. A transmission of the kind described comprising races and rollers positioned between and in driving engagement therewith at diametrical ly opposite points of said rollers, a carrier for each. roller, pressure lubricating means including a source of fluid pressure, said carriers having passages for the transmission of fluid under pressure and delivering the same adjacent the circumferential faces of each roller, and shrouds mounted on said carrier to direct the lubricant along the roller surface toward itspoints of contact with the races.

4. The invention defined by claim 3, shrouds being arcuate in cross section.

5. A transmission of the kind described including races and power transmitting rollers between and in driving engagement therewith, means to support said rollers and to direct lubricant circumferentially along the race engaging surfaces of said rollers to the points of driving engagement.

6. A, transmission of the kind described including races and an interposed driving roller therewith, a lubricating system, means to support said rollers and including mechanism to direct lubricant circumferentially along the race engaging surfaces of said rollers to said points of driving engagement.

'7. A transmission of the kind described including races and an interposed driving roller in driving engagement therewith, a lubricating system, means to support said rollers and including mechanism to direct lubricant to said points of driving engagement, said roller supporting means including a. movable member to change the points of the races'engaged by the roller, said mechanism being movable with said movable member whereby the lubricant may be directed to the points of driving contact for all positions of the roller.

8. A transmission of the kind described including races and an interposed roller in drivin contact therewith, a force feed lubricating system therefor, means associated with said system said . said roller rockingly supported by said spider, a

lubricating system including a pressure source, saidspider being provided with passages whereby lubricant may be delivered within said carrier to the circumferential surface of the roller, and means associated with said carrier to direct the lubricant along said surface toward both points of contact between the roller and the races.

11. In a power transmission system in which power is transmitted between two coaxial toric races, one of which is the driving member and the other the driven member, by means of a system'of rollers in adhesive contact therewith, a frame associated with each roller, within which said roller is journalled, means pivotally mounting said frames for tilting so as to vary the speed ratio of the transmission, and lubricating ducts within the pivots of each of said frames for directing a lubricant against the peripheries of said rollers. I

12. In a power transmission system in which power is transmitted between two coaxial toric races, one of which is the driving member and the other the driven member, by means of a system of rollers in adhesive contact therewith, a frame associated with each roller, within which said roller is journalled, means pivotally mounting said frames for tilting so as to vary the speed ratio of the transmission, lubricating ducts within the pivots of each of said frames for directing a lubricant against the peripheries of said rollers, and deflecting means for guiding said lubricant extending laterally of the discharge point and in adjacency to the periphery of the rollers.

13. In a power transmission system in which power is transmitted between two coaxial toric races, one of which is the driving member and the other the driven member, by means of a system of rollers in adhesive contact therewith, lubricating ducts adapted to direct a stream of lubricant perpendicularly against the peripheries of the rollers.

14. In a power transmission system in which power is transmittedbetween two coaxial toric races, one of which is the driving member and the other the driven member, by means of a systemof rollers in adhesive contact therewith, lubricating ducts adapted to direct a stream ,of

lubricant perpendicularly against; the peripheries of the rollers and means for guiding said. lubricant to the traction areas of said races and rollers.

15. In a power transmission system in which power is transmitted between two coaxial toric races, one of which is the driving member and the other the driven member, by means of a system of rollersin adhesive contact therewith, lubricating ducts adapted to direct a stream of lubricant perpendicularly against the peripheries of the rollers and means for guiding said lubricant tangentially toward the contact areas of the races and rollers.

WILLIAM T. MURDEN. 

